Under the Weather in Grimmauld Place 12
by MsTonksLupin
Summary: "Head feels like a troll stepped on it, throat's like I swallowed the freakin' Gryffindor's sword, and lungs are trying to get out of my mouth." Just Tonks in Grimmauld Place 12 having a cold, and Remus taking care of her. Warning: so fluffy you might di.


**This is probably the most stupid one-shot ever written, I do apologize for it! I just had one of those evenings when I dreamt of pure fluff, hugs, chocolate and other disturbing things, so I had to write it! Just think, wouldn't you love to have Healer Lupin whenever you got sick?**

**I spent 4 hours writing this, even though I have finals, and then accidentally deleted the text from my clipboard. So then I spent 2 hours searching for a way to recover it, but in vain. I went to bed in 3 o' clock in the morning, and then woke up and spent 3 hours writing it all over again. So technically I've spent a lifetime on this, however crappy it might be, and it will mean a lot if you review!**

**Hope you enjoy :)**

Remus Lupin looked outside the window. The weather was terrible. There was a storm outside, the kind of storms with thunders and lightnings, which scared Wormtail even when he was fifteen. He was glad that it was not full moon tonight, and that he didn't have any duty for the Order. The creepy dark Ancient and Noble House of the Blacks seemed like a paradise comparing to the weather outside.

He walked to the living room, sat in an armchair next to the fire and opened his book. Sirius was sitting on the sofa opposite him, smoking.

"Moooony!"

"Yes, Padfoot."

"I'm bored."

"I have noticed, the past eight months."

"I wish Tonks was here, so you two could flirt uncontrollably, or deny your feelings for each other, both of them are equally amusing things for one to witness!"

A thunder was heard outside, at the same time with the familiar sound of the troll leg umbrella stand falling, and of Sirius' mother's portrait screaming. They knew it was Tonks before they heard her swear and shout to Walburga Black. Remus looked at his friend suspiciously. _Is he related to Sybille Trelawney?_

Tonks entered the living room dripping water from her soaked hair and coat.

"Wothcer." She said.

"Did you have a shower out there?" asked Sirius.

"You could try having one too, it wouldn't do you any harm you know." Her teeth were chattering.

"What were you doing out in such a weather?" Remus performed a drying spell on her hair. "You'll catch your death!"

"Don't be so melodramatic, I'm an auror! I was on duty, five minutes from here. Bloody hell, it was quite a night!"

She pulled off her boots, revealing a pair of shocking yellow polka dot wet socks.

"You should stay here tonight." Said Sirius, who always appreciated the company, being stuck in that old, unpleasant house. "Go and get changed. Get a pair of Remus' pajamas, for _I_ don't own any. I prefer feeling free when I sleep, if you know what I mean!"

"Thank you very much, Sirius, but I'd rather not know about your sleeping habits." And with that, she turned her back and climbed –or tried to climb- the stairs.

"You can't get away from her, even if you try to." Chuckled Sirius, looking at his friend.

Remus didn't raise his eyes from his book.

RLNTRLNTRLNT

There was a knock on the door, which sounded like a bludger hitting her head. "Tonks, get up, you'll be late for work." It was Sirius. "I have made breakfast."

She opened an eye lazily. Her head was throbbing and her throat felt like it was being stabbed with a knife. After a few minutes of recollection, she managed to get herself out of bed, to the cold world, and drag her aching body downstairs. It wasn't really fortunate, that the man who couldn't leave her head for months, would see her like that. She was well aware of the fact that her hair was a dirty shade of blond, and that there were dark circles under her eyes.

She entered the kitchen, after tripping over a wooden chest with unidentified content, which started growling at her. Remus and Sirius were having breakfast, discussing something they had read at the _Daily Prophet._

"Good morning, Nymphadora." Said Remus. "You look pale."

"Should I take that as a compliment? And don't call me… _aaachoo!" _

"Bless you." He looked at her suspiciously.

"It's so damn cold in here!" she shivered. She looked at the fried eggs and toast which were in front of her. She tried to swallow some toast, but her throat had other intentions.

"But we have a fire lit in the room." Sirius looked confused. "Do you want a hug? My incredible hotness can warm you up!"

She replied with another sneeze, which made her hair turn orange.

"Are you allergic to werewolves?" teased Sirius.

"Padfoot, can't you see she is sick?" asked Remus.

"Of course not!" she started coughing, throwing breadcrumb all over the kitchen table.

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "How charming!"

"Your cough says a different story, though." Said Remus. He got up and placed his hand on her forehead. "You are quite warm."

"Well, maybe I am." she got up, "If you'll excuse me, I'll be late for work."

"Not really, Tonks, you're not going anywhere yet."

"Remus, it's just a cold, really…"

He waved his wand, and a magical thermometer flew into his hands. He stuck it under her tongue, before she even had the chance to complain, taking her by surprise. The thermometer turned bright orange, and he took it from her mouth. "Looks like you're running a fever, I'm sorry, Tonks, but you're not going to work."

"Of course I am, you can't keep me here!"

"Actually, I can." Remus played with his wand. "Do you want me to warn Molly that you want to go to the Ministry with such a temperature? Imagine her coming here, fretting over your weight!"

"Fine," she shivered at the idea. "You won."

"Besides, I think they're wearing you off too much there."

"You _do _sound like Molly, you know."

"And you sound like a drunk Mad-Eye, with that voice. If Mad-Eye ever got drunk, as he carries his own flask everywhere, and he is known for his constant vigilance! Why don't you go to bed, till you can feel better?"

"No way." She said stubbornly. "I'm not going to bed, it's just a cold, for Merlin's sake!" She moved to the living room, tripping over a chair, and sneezing at the same time, her hair turning lime green. Sirius followed her. Remus returned with a blanket and a hot cup in his hands.

"What's that?" she asked grumpily, while she dragged the blanket around her.

"It's hot chocolate. We've ran out of pepperup, I'll go search for some later."

"Thanks. You don't have to."

"Drink!" Remus smiled. "It is a strong belief of mine that chocolate…"

"…is the cure of everything, from quidditch bruises and pimples, to dragon's flu and heartaches." Mimicked Sirius. "I've learnt it by heart, I've heard Moony say the same thing every time James got rejected by Lily!"

_Yeah, right, if he wants to cure _my_ heartbreak, he just has to snog the brains out of me in a closet, not give me chocolate! _She thought bitterly, but when she tasted it and the hot liquid filled her mouth, she couldn't help being thankful to the protective professor. Everything suddenly seemed better… until she was hit by a coughing fit. Sirius patted her back, and half the chocolate was spilt on the floor. She blushed and kept apologizing, while Sirius cleaned it up with his wand, and Remus tried to keep a serious face. He certainly didn't like seeing Tonks sick, but she _was_ an amusing sight, with her sweet complaints and clumsy movements, with her bright unusual hair, a dozen used tissues on the sofa next to her, and those swollen cerise lips... _Too bad he couldn't kiss them… _

He cleared his throat and returned to his book.

"I should be at work now." She moaned in a hoarse voice.

"Why, don't you like our company?" Sirius looked offended.

"I appreciate your company more than I appreciate paperwork, but Kingsley'll kill me."

"Don't worry about Kingsley, I floo'd him. You have the right to be under the weather every once in a while, you know. Speaking of your work, how's it going?"

"Yeah, is our charming cousin still out there, killing innocent people or something?"

"I believe she is. No process is done in tracking her and the other Death Eaters, and we are sent to catch people who change color on their cats and stuff like that, just to show to the world we're actually doing something." She snorted.

"I wish I could work." Sighed Sirius. "I'd love to be an auror, but you see, I didn't have time to study, as I was immediately sent to Azkaban to spend twelve lovely years with the Dementors and the rats, but not the right rats, you know, the ones that once betrayed their best friends and deserve to be killed."

Remus and Tonks felt sorry for him.

"If I were not a werewolf, I'd love to teach at Hogwarts." Said Remus nostalgically. "That was quite a nice year… And I'm really glad that I found Sirius in the end of it."

"Thanks, Moony!" grinned Sirius.

"Or else, I'd like to become a healer, I'd feel helpful."

"You'd make a great healer, Remus!" said Tonks, thinking of the hot chocolate and the blanket, and the fact that she was in a warm room instead of her cold office at the ministry, which she owed to him.

He half-smiled. "Apart from certain nights when I'd become a hairy beast, and kill all my patients!"

Ten minutes later, Tonks and Sirius were playing a game of wizard chess, and Remus had retired to his room to study some Order files.

She let a huge sneeze and caused a black horse to run away, scared. "Thank you for keeping me here, Padfoot."

"Don't mention it, Nymph."

"I didn't want a fuss to be made, though."

"Would you prefer being alone in your flat instead of having Remus to take care of you? Besides, who knows, you two might end up playing the healer!"

She punched him on the shoulder. "Git!" She felt dizzy. "Maybe I am sick after all."

"Really, I hadn't noticed!"

"Shut up! I'm going upstairs, to take a nap."

"Yes, and remember, third door on the left. You don't want to _mistakenly _enter Remus room again, and see him naked, or worse, masturbating, do you?"

He received the tissue box on the head as a response, and then the witch tried to make her way upstairs without tripping over herself… in vain.

RLNTRLNTRLNT

She was woken up by his hand on her forehead. Her congestion was getting on her nerves. He was in his cardigan and tie, and his sandy brown hair was falling in his eyes. He smiled. It was quite pleasant having a man with such kind chocolate brown eyes touching her with his cool hand. "I'm sorry for waking you." He said softly. "You are very hot."

That was quite a thing to hear from the lips of the man you can't stop thinking of, though she quickly realized he was referring to her body temperature, and not her sex appeal, which had completely vanished, what with her huge red nose and mousy brown unwashed hair. She coughed violently, and he put the thermometer under her tongue. She had to admit that he had the ability to take her by surprise, not giving her the chance to complain.

"I've brought you some soup and tea." He pointed on the kettle and plate on the table.

"Thanks."

"How are you feeling?"

"B'oody b'illiant." She said with the thermometer in her mouth. "Head feels 'ike a t'oll stepped on it, th'oat's like I swa'owed the freakin' G'yffindor sword, and lungs are trying to get out of my mou'h."

"I'm sorry you're feeling bad." He was so sweet! He took the –now red- thermometer in his hands. "Congratulations, Nymphadora, you're officialy burning up."

"Don't call me… _aachoo!_" her hair turned cobalt blue.

"You know, your nose probably likes your first name." he said amused, giving her his handkerchief.

"There is abso-trollin-lutely no way!"

"Indeed it does, it never lets you finish your sentence whenever you want to complain about me calling you by it."

"Quite humorous, professor, aren't we?"

"Trying to be." He grinned, and put his thumb under her chin. "Now, let's have a look, how bad is it?"

"How bad is what?"

"Your throat. Open up so I can look."

She stared at him blankly. She was quite a sight, Remus tried not to laugh, her bright hair made a charming contrast with her red nose and pale cheeks, and her puzzled expression was adorable. "You have to be kidding me." She said at last, in a croaked voice.

He started losing his patience. "No, Nymphadora, that most certainly is the last thing I intend to do. You have a high fever and your tonsils are probably in a remarkably nasty situation."

"Excuse me Remus, but today you have seen me sneezing uncontrollably, having a red nose, ridiculous hair and the voice of a troll. Are you asking me to show you my bloody remarkably _nasty tonsils_? I couldn't become any more disgusting even if I tried, you know!"

He sighed, and gave her a serious look. "You can never disgust me, Tonks, no matter how hard you try." He said, while gently pressing his fingers on her neck. "Now, open up."

How could she not want him with every bit of her being, even if he tended to push her away, when he told her such things? She felt her cheeks flushing, and she obeyed. He cast a small light with his wand, and looked at her throat. Just then, the door opened widely, and Sirius burst into the room. "Merlin, you guys are creepy," he said. "What's that you're doing now, comparing your murderous teeth?"

Remus ignored his friend. "As I thought, they are swollen." He said. "Drink your tea."

Sirius walked to Tonks' bed and sat on it.

"How are you feeling?"

"Crap." She groaned. "What have you been up to, Sirius?"

"Chasing Kreacher around the house, trying to force him to wear my mother's snake hat, so I could take a picture."

"Poor creature."

"Poor hat, I would say. He ended up kissing it, saying how his poor Mistress used to love it." She interrupted him with a coughing fit. "Hey, Tonks, don't die today! Let's play a game first!"

"Padfoot, Tonks need to rest."

"That's not fair! Why are _you_ here then?"

"I came to check on her?"

"It's alright, Remus, leave him. What kind of game, Sirius?"

"How about… let's come up with ten ways to annoy a werewolf!"

She laughed and sneezed at the same time, so that her hair became bright red.

"I am present, you know." Sighed Remus.

"Like we care!" she stuck his tongue out at him. "I already know one way! Become sick and disgusting, and stick in the house the werewolf's living in for a day."

"That's not true. I am not annoyed by you being here." He smiled.

"Indeed he isn't. I even happen to believe that he finds your sight on a bed and your bus-driver voice hot!"

"Sirius, there is only one hot thing in this room, and that is Tonks' temperature! Why don't you leave her alone?"

She blushed. Right, she knew that, he didn't want to spend eternity with her or be the father of her kids, but did he have to state that she was unattractive with such frankness?

"If you'll excuse me, I'll be downstairs. Eat your soup!" And with that, he left the room.

"Well, I know a better way to annoy him." Said Sirius. "Tell him the truth about his feelings for a woman when he is not ready to accept it."

"Nonsense, Padfoot, he just doesn't like me."

"Poor guy does like you, very much in fact, and you already know that, but you both are too stupid and stubborn to do something about it!"

She shrugged. "Yeah, well, maybe."

He placed the plate with the soup on her lap. "Try not to spill it on the Ancient and Noble bed sheets of my family, ok?"

RLNTRLNTRLNT

She woke up with her head throbbing, her mousy brown hair sweaty and her teeth chattering. Her nose fortunately was in her natural form. She pulled the blanket over her shoulders and tried to call for somebody, but it was impossible to produce any voice. She looked around for her wand, but realized she had forgotten it downstairs. Cough started shaking her body, and was heard by Remus Lupin, who walked into the room, carrying a bottle and a towel. When he saw her, worry took over his features. He sat on her bedside.

"I've brought you some fever reducer." He touched her forehead and his eyes opened widely. "Merlin, Tonks! You are burning up!"

"'m sorry." She muttered.

"What are you talking about? You should probably go to St. Mungo's!"

She became paler than before. "No, please, not St. Mungo's!"

"I'm worried, Tonks."

"Don't be, I've been through this shit before, just stay here!"

"I have to get you some pepperup, at least."

"No, please stay here!" She dragged him by his collar, and he sat on the bed next to her. She soaked the towel with his wand, and placed it on her forehead, after gently pressing his lips on it. She thought she was delirious enough to have imagined that, and he _hoped_ she was delirious enough to not understand what he did. The cool towel felt relieving against her warm skin. "Thank you. I'm sorry for all the fuss I caused." She whispered.

"Don't mention it. Just get better."

They didn't talk for a while, until Remus cleared his throat. "Uhm, Tonks, I'm… sorry for what I said earlier."

"What did you say?"

"That the only hot thing in the room was your temperature. There were… other things too, you know."

Silence came back for half a minute.

"Remus?"

"Yes, Tonks."

"It's funny, I don't know if it is what you just said, or I'm so feverish that I can hear my heart hammering in my ears."

What followed, he could not help or control, neither could he give it any thought. He lowered his head, and rested it on her chest, which was moving up and down with her heavy breathing, and felt her heart, beating rapidly and loudly against his ear. The effect on him was like a stunning spell. It was the most beautiful, lively and at the same time serene sound he had ever heard. He closed his eyes, thinking he could even fall asleep there, like a baby.

It was a strange feeling for her, and she thought her chest would explode with excitement, and cover his clean preppy cardigan with blood and other disgusting insides. "Uh, wotcher!" she muttered, amused. "What are you…" _doing on my boobs? Is that the right moment to scream of joy and awkwardness? Well, not really, I can't scream, I'll sound like a chicken being strangled. _"Is everything alright down there, Healer Lupin? Do you reckon I'll survive?"

He felt extremely ashamed, a severe blush covered his cheeks and ears, as he took his head from her and sat up. "I'm… sorry." He mumbled, when the door opened and Sirius burst into the room. "Ha!" he barked, "I knew you'd play the healer with my little cousin, you twisted werewolf!"


End file.
